Company:

CITY OF LAGUNA BEACH

Status:

Awarded

Awarded:

Historical Renovation Project of the Year

Additional Files

Photos courtesy of Tom Lamb, Photographer
Photos courtesy of Tom Lamb, Photographer


Plans courtesy of Fuscoe Engineering, Inc.

Additional Information

Photos courtesy of Tom Lamb, Photographer

LAGUNA BEACH FESTIVAL OF ARTS FAÇADE/ENTRANCE PROJECT

Project Location:

650 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach, CA 92651

Project Description:

Thousands visit the Laguna Beach Festival of Arts to enjoy its Pageant of the Masters as well as meander through the array of art exhibits and crafts offered by talented local artisans. Long overdue for a facelift, the Festival of Arts Board of Directors commissioned Bauer Architects, with Fuscoe Engineering as the civil engineer of record and Spurlock Poirier as landscape architect, to revamp the Festival grounds’ aging entry, gateways and frontage area, covering approximately one acre and approximately 500 LF along Laguna Canyon Road. The public now can enjoy an easily accessible, inviting and artistic entrance with sustainable features and bold, dynamic graphics.

Project Justification:

The façade of the Laguna Beach Festival of Arts is an iconic Orange County landmark, so its replacement and alterations to the frontage area required great sensitivity to the local artistic community. This project posed a number of unique challenges, beginning with a sizable demolition of the grounds. Approximately one-third of the frontage area adjacent to Laguna Canyon Road (SR133) is within the State of California right-of-way, resulting in multiple agencies having jurisdiction on various portions of the project. The primary drainage facility for the canyon behind the Festival of Arts is a 3’ X 7’ concrete box culvert aligned directly under and through the Festival. Coordination and design of ADA accessibility, legacy tree protection, pavements, hardscapes, water quality features, structural footings and drainage involved the entire design team of civil, structural, architectural and landscape consultants. Fuscoe designed integrated, cost-effective solutions for hardscape, accessibility and water quality issues. The team utilized a combination of tightly specified, porous concrete sidewalks within the State right-of-way, and outside the State right-of-way, infiltration chambers and biofiltration planters were used in the parking lot/plaza planting areas. Fuscoe filed a design exemption request through Caltrans for special consideration of Caltrans handicap standards within the right-of-way and also coordinated the maintenance agreements between Caltrans and the City of Laguna Beach. Of special note is the façade screen wall, which was built from “rammed earth” and layered to reflect local geologic strata.

Special Circumstances:

SPECIAL RELATIONSHIPS:  Fuscoe acted as a key liaison between the City of Laguna Beach and Caltrans, and in the course of complex project coordination, Fuscoe’s relationships with the State of California, City of Laguna Beach, Bauer Architects, Caltrans and Laguna Beach County Water District were strengthened. 

OBSTACLES OVERCOME: Approximately one-third of the frontage area adjacent to Laguna Canyon Road (SR133) is within the State of California right-of-way, resulting in multiple agencies having jurisdiction on various portions of the project. The primary drainage facility for the canyon behind the Festival of Arts is aligned directly under and through the Festival. Coordination and design of ADA accessibility, legacy tree protection, pavements, hardscapes, water quality features, structural footings and drainage involved the entire design team of civil, structural, architectural and landscape consultants. Fuscoe designed integrated, cost-effective solutions for both hardscape, accessibility and water quality issues. The team utilized a combination of tightly specified, porous concrete sidewalks within the State right-of-way, and outside the State right-of-way, infiltration chambers and biofiltration planters were used in the parking lot/plaza planting areas. Fuscoe filed a design exemption request through Caltrans for special consideration of Caltrans handicap standards within the right-of-way and also coordinated the maintenance agreements between Caltrans and the City of Laguna Beach. Of special note is the façade screen wall, which was built from “rammed earth” and layered to reflect local geologic strata.

ACCOLADES: The Laguna Beach Festival of Arts project received the 2014 AIA-Orange County Award of Merit in the Commercial Un-Built Category.

“The City Council’s reaction to the design has been unanimously positive!” – Robert Whalen, Mayor

“This façade is really a piece of sculpture.” – Fred Sattler, President, Festival of Arts

Project Attachments:

Below please find articles and video regarding the project, from various publications and sites:

Video and article, Bauer Architects site:  http://bauer-architects.com/project/festival-of-arts-facade/

Article, Festival of Arts site:  https://www.foapom.com/2015/07/festival-facade-reimagined/

Article, Orange County Register:  http://www.ocregister.com/articles/festival-670139-laguna-canyon.html

Festival of Arts Site Grading sheets.pdf – provided by Mark Nero, PE, Fuscoe Engineering, Inc. (see upload in Additional Images or PDFs section below)

Award Citation::

Thousands visit the Festival of Arts to enjoy its Pageant of the Masters and art exhibits. Long overdue for a facelift, the Board of Directors commissioned Bauer Architects, with Fuscoe Engineering as civil engineer and Spurlock Poirier as landscape architect, to revamp the Festival grounds’ aging entry, gateways and frontage area, covering approximately one acre and 500 LF. The public now enjoys an easily accessible and inviting entrance, with sustainable features and a bold, dynamic design.

Suggested Award Summary:

Thousands visit the Laguna Beach Festival of Arts to enjoy its Pageant of the Masters as well as meander through the array of art exhibits and crafts offered by talented local artisans. Long overdue for a facelift, the Festival of Arts Board of Directors commissioned Bauer Architects, with Fuscoe Engineering as the civil engineer of record and Spurlock Poirier as landscape architect, to revamp the Festival grounds’ aging entry, gateways and frontage area, covering approximately one acre and approximately 500 LF along Laguna Canyon Road. The public now can enjoy an easily accessible, inviting and artistic entrance with sustainable features and bold, dynamic graphics.

This project posed a number of unique challenges. Approximately one-third of the frontage area adjacent to Laguna Canyon Road (SR133) is within the State of California right-of-way, resulting in multiple agencies having jurisdiction on various portions of the project. The primary drainage facility for the canyon behind the Festival of Arts is aligned directly under and through the Festival. Coordination and design of ADA accessibility, legacy tree protection, pavements, hardscapes, water quality features, structural footings and drainage involved the entire design team of civil, structural, architectural and landscape consultants. Fuscoe designed integrated, cost-effective solutions for both hardscape, accessibility and water quality issues. The team utilized a combination of tightly specified, porous concrete sidewalks within the State right-of-way, and outside the State right-of-way, infiltration chambers and biofiltration planters were used in the parking lot/plaza planting areas. Fuscoe filed a design exemption request through Caltrans for special consideration of Caltrans handicap standards within the right-of-way and also coordinated the maintenance agreements between Caltrans and the City of Laguna Beach. Of special note is the façade screen wall, which was built from “rammed earth” and layered to reflect local geologic strata.